Protein Bars

Q: Can you recommend some good protein bars? I’m constantly on the go, and I’m getting a little bored of the Zone bar. What do you suggest? Thanks!

– Sarah C.
(These are not Sarah’s exact words, btw. I [Haley] deleted her question by accident and this is what I remember, but anyway. THANKS SARAH!)

A: There are a lot of bars on the market and choosing one can be daunting and confusing. Although I think that protein bars serve a purpose, I wouldn’t suggest choosing a bar over good quality food. Here are some points you want to look for when choosing a protein bar.

Sugar Content:

Protein bars taste good because they usually contain a lot of refined sugars. Be sure to read the ingredient list in addition to checking the nutrient profiles to determine which sugars are naturally occurring and which ones are refined. FDA labeling laws require that all ingredients be listed in order of quantity used. If a refined sugar is within the first three ingredients it is not a good choice. Refined sugars: sucrose, high fructose corn syrup, sugar, chocolate, brown rice syrup and corn syrup. Bars with these ingredients are chocolate bars with protein powder added into them.

Saturated Fat:

Most protein bars contain a moderate amount of fat, usually anywhere from 2.5 – 10 grams of fat. This is not a bad thing unless the majority of fat is saturated. You can tell how many grams of fat are saturated by reading the food label. The saturated fats are coming from hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated fats as well as palm oil, palm kernel oil and other tropical oils which are oils you would want to stay away from. You want to check the ingredient list for these types of ingredients, too.

Calorie Breakdown:

The calorie breakdown will determine if the bar is either an a) protein bar; b) energy bar; c) meal replacement bar. A protein bar has approximately 25-30grams of protein usually coming from whey protein. An energy bar is mostly carbohydrates and is good for endurance athletes. A meal replacement bar usually has about 300-400 calories and has more carbs (25-40grams) than protein (10-15 grams).

Best “Clean” Bars Around:

There are a bunch of “clean” bars that are now on the market. The ingredients vary from dates, raisins, oats, flax, unrefined cane sugar, maple syrup, almonds and protein from soy or whey isolate. These bars are considerably more healthy for you and can be eaten more frequently than the usual protein bar.

Examples of “clean” bars: Elevate Me, Vega Energy Bars, Greens+ Express Bar and Daryl’s Hi-N-R-G Bar.

Enjoy! Lori